Little Book Chapter 2: Noe Simple Task

Procured Dec 18, for 85USD and I call that a bargain. I put The Easy up against George T Stagg (2017) and found it could go toe to toe, now let's see what Noe Simple Task is made of-- opened in Dec 18 and sitting minus a shot for over 6 months now. Nose: Spiced rum cake yes, sweet caramel toffee(werthers), some dark, tart jams, currant maybe. The rye spice is a secondary hint with the alcohol, both being barely noticeable. This is one tempting nose and certainly a great start. I get no barrel wood, nibs or bitters, whatever the 40 year juice is contributing it certainly doesn't register as a standard northern whiskey. Perhaps The Enigma would have been another good name for this one. Front: There's that canadian hooch, and there's the high proof heat with it, the dark and low fruit from well aged juice is apparent, as is the nice corn-rye blend but also a rich and spicey combo of really good rye spices and fruit sugars. I can see why this throws off some tasters as an unusual juxtaposition of flavors, it is a fairly unusual profile but also a delicious and richly satisfying treat. Finish: some small salted nibs but mostly sweet leftovers of caramel and fruit, no real changeup to the profile on the backside while it tapers down easy. This is another really smooth high proofer that shows the care and craftsmanship from the best of the best of Master Distillers. On repeated tastes the rich corn bourbon sugars step up and dark fruit sweetness keep pace with all that rye spice, this is actually much better balanced than I had initially thought on first appearance and tryout. The first sample from months ago clearly needed some opening up and patience is a virtue for those who acquire this bottle. My initial thought was this was a bit of a disappointment as a follow up to The Easy, after all you don't see a bottle that can stand up to the best of the G.T. Stagg offerings every day, but this is clearly another huge power player in the best of custom crafted whiskeys. Another thumbs up for Booker's kid.

Little Book 2018, the second edition. I missed the first and I’ll probably never get a hold of it. So this is my first go at this line. Canadian rye, Canadian whisky, and Kentucky Rye. Should be an interesting blend. Nose: Caramel, mint chocolate, vanilla, pistachio. Bready notes. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon. Big oak. A touch of maple sweetness. Rye is dominant. Some similarities with Willett 4, which I love. Good stuff here. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, cola, and cocoa. Plenty of punch: all the ginger, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, oak. Rye bread. Milk chocolate and fudge. Some cherry. A bit green and grassy, but not in a way that suggests youth. No shortage of heat, sweetness, and spice. Very enjoyable palate. Finish: Mammoth finish. A blast of oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Caramel and vanilla. Beast of a finish. Long as they come, and reminiscent of Booker’s. As a stand alone, this is a great dram. It’s different than anything I’ve had before. Features what I believe to be the oldest whisky I’ve had (40 Y.O. Canadian Rye)—and under $100. Solid from beginning to end, and boasts a titanic finish. Lower ABV than any Booker’s variant with a finish that can stand up to the best of any Booker’s batch. Great showcasing of blended whiskey, Canadian rye/whiskey, and American rye. This one crosses several categories, many of which are under-appreciated. Well done, Beam.

Neat. Opened over a year. I haven’t had this in a long time, fun one to revisit. The nose is so bright and delicate. It’s lemon pine and floral. The rye notes are very delicate. Hint of vanilla and mint. Hint of walnut. I would equate this to a cask strength Canadian Whiskey more than anything. Mouth feel is creamy, oily, and coating. Quite pleasant. Very sweet up front. Oh geez, I like this more now than I remembered. It’s definitely a different side of the flavor wheel. The sweetness up front is just a delicate vanilla, almost sugar water. But it blossoms so beautifully. The vanilla transition into a lemon cello and then into a lemon cupcake. Caramel frosting then emerges. It darkens on the legs with a nice oak finish. Sitting with it for a bit, the rye on the nose is taking the center stage. The rye is coming out more on the taste too but blending well with the lemon aspects. Okay, my memory of this one and the current experience do not match. I remember liking it but also equating it to a lemon cleaning product. Maybe the air time served it well because the chemical aspects of the lemon notes have blossomed into lemon cello and lemon cupcakes. It’s really fun. I think this one gets a raw deal on other reviews I have read.

Got to sample this for my buddy's 40th birthday. Came in a similar box as Booker's, just black. Beautiful presentation. Seeing the ratings from others, my expectations were pretty low. Tasted in GC. No waiting around and neck pour. N(3): Some type of citrus fruit soda. Other bright crisp fruits. Not complex. Does not nose like a 110 proof at all. P(5): The coating was so thick and cool. Flavor bomb. Bright fruits. Honey. Hint of rye spice. Very well rounded. Couldn't pick out much bourbon flavors other than vanilla. F(4.25): Rye bread. Oak spice. Orange creamsicle. Medium finish. I wish it was longer because it was so good. Overall: I've never tasted anything like this. Got me real interested in Canadian rye, because there's a 40 year old in it. Next type of whiskey I'm jumping into. Highly recommend if you want something different. Giving it a score bump because of the uniqueness. I would definitely pick it up if I can find it at MSRP. Be careful, very easy drinker and super flavorful.

Just OK. Very sweet nose due to being Canadian. Slight pepper and rye spice. It not overly spicy. Very similar to Alberta Premium but not as good. Sweet and long finish. Relatively hot but not overpowering. Just pretty OK. I use the rating scale below. Distiller uses a scale of 5 and I use a scale of 10, but I’m sure you’re not too drunk to do the math! 1. Disgusting - So bad I poured it out. 2. Poor - I wouldn't consume by choice. 3. Bad - Multiple flaws. 4. Below average - Not bad, but many things I'd rather have. 5. Good - Just average. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Well above average. 8. Excellent - In a league of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

Nose - a lot of caramel, you get some rye spice but I'm not picking up much if any dill. There's a light oak, very smooth oak notes. Taste - There's a lot more rye on here. Rye bread, spicy, a bit hot, and a caramel finish. There's a bit of toasted bread. A very light touch of peanut just for good beam measure. Overall a nice middle of the road rye flavor with a bit of bourbon caramel and a touch of nutty notes. 100 bucks...hard to recommend too strongly but it's pretty good and at a tasting this one was second place among people's favorites next to some real stunners so clearly there are some fans.